Gateshead 2015 gets Sanborn, Scofield

The annual northern celebration of all things jazz, soul and funk returns in April via the International Jazz Festival at the Sage Gateshead

The 2015 programme for the annual Gateshead International Jazz Festival has now been announced, with tickets available to buy online.

Running from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 April 2015, the festival will continue its tradition of showcasing musicians from the UK and abroad, featuring both established and rising stars. Some of the festival's headliners include David Sanborn, John Scofield with Jon Cleary (pictured), and the James Taylor Quartet.

Saxophonist David Sanborn, who has played with James Brown and David Bowie in his varied career, opens the festival on Friday night with a concert alongside guitar man John Scofield and pianist/vocalist Jon Cleary, who will be playing a mixture of jazz-gospel and blues from the Deep South.

On Saturday night, acid-jazz proponent James Taylor and his Quartet will form part of a double bill with frequent Jools Holland vocalist Ruby Turner, with an evening of jazz-funk, soul and R&B. On Sunday night Loose Tubes top the bill, with their 21-piece recently reunited band playing original hits as well as new compositions.

Other acts confirmed to play include Beats and Pieces, a big band in the vein of Loose Tubes, Clark Tracey with Bobby Wellins paying tribute to Stan Tracey's original Under Milk Wood recording, Gwilym Simcock with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Andy Sheppard in a duet with Italian pianist Rita Marcotulli, Zoe Gilby with her own interpretation of some of Carmen McRae's most seminal work, and vocalist/violinist Alice Zawadski.

There will also be a mélange of workshops, free fringe gigs and other jazz-themed events across the weekend, all under the one roof of Sage Gateshead.

Ros Rigby, Performance Programme Director at Sage Gateshead, said: “Whether you’re new to jazz, a jazz aficionado or regular festival-goer, you’ll find something in our programme that’s just right for you. This year we have a stellar bill with world-renowned artists as well as hotly tipped stars of the future”.

Tickets can be booked at sagegateshead.com where you'll also find a full programme. Sally Evans-Darby

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